Spinner hub



A. RATERING SPINNER HUB Aug. 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 13, 1963 m WM F w m ,4 TTOFA/EV? A. RATERING Aug. 10, 1965 SPINNER HUB 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 13, 1963 INVENTOR. 4! WW F47Z'IP7/V6 Q 17 M f" United States Patent Office 3,199,602 Patented Aug. 10, 1965 3,199,602 PINNER HUB Alvin Rater-hag, 1101 Hazen St. SE, Grand Rapids, Mich. Filed Dec. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 330,449 5 (Ilairns. (Cl. 17159) This invention relates to a mechanism for attaching a member to a rotational shaft, and especially to a selfcontained, detachable hub spinneroap for the prop of outboard marine engines, or inboard-outboard drive assemblie A prop spinner cap for the drive mechanism of a marine engine is a generally sonically shaped element that fits over the end of the prop drive shaft portion that protrudes through the propeller. The spinner cap also covers the ends of the conventional sheer pin to prevent it from falling out. The shear pin secures the prop rotably to the drive shaft. Since the shear pin is intended to be sheared when the prop hits an obstacle under the water, its replacement becomes necessary quite often, especially in small inland lakes where obstacles abound. To replace the shear pin, conventionally the drive assembly of the engine is tilted on the transom of the boat to bring the prop up out of the water. Since the spiner cap must be removed and since the cap is secured by a cotter key passing through the cap and the shaft, the key must first be taken out. The tangs of the cotter key holding the spinner cap in place are straightened out with a pair of pliers, the cotter key is pulled out with pliers, and the spinner cap is slipped off. Then the damaged shear pin is removed and replaced by a new one. replaced, a new cotter key is inserted, and its ends are bent to secure it. Often the old cotter key must be carefully straightened and reinserted in the absence of a new one.

All of these operations are performed while the boat is out on the lake or bay, or in the river. The person making the repairs must lean precariously about three feet out over the rear of the rocking boat, reaching out to the end of the drive mechanism where the prop and spinner cap are mounted. Since the tendency of the person making the repairs is to hang on to prevent falling into the water, but since he also must normally use both hands for bending and removing the cotter key while simultaneously grabbing the spinner cap, he too often succeeds in dropping either the cotter key or the spinner cap into the water, or not infrequently falling into the water himself. Loss of spinner caps is very common, as is known to boaters. Worse yet, the boat operator may be caught out in the lake without a pair of pliers to even remove the spiner cap cotter key in the first place. This operation therefore is difficult and frustrating, especially for the modern weekend boater who may be unskilled with his hands even under favorable conditions.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a unique prop spinner cap that can be removed and replaced without any tools whatever.

It is another object of this invention to provide a prop spinner cap that is removable with a persons fingernail in the manner no more complicated than opening a jackknife.

It is another object of this invention to provide a spinner cap completely unitary and self-contained in construction, including its retention means on the prop The spinner cap is then" shaft. It employs no bendable cotter keys or the equivalent. It can be removed or replaced with one hand, in a few seconds, with no skill or unusual dexterity being required. I

It is another object of this invention to provide a self-contained prop spinner cap with simple attachment features, and that furthermore, will not accidentally ecome dislodged or thrown off the shaft even under extreme conditions. This has been proven by extensive testing procedures.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a spinner cap with basic components that are relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and that can be combined with different sizes of spinner caps with only corresponding changes in dimensions being necessary.

These and several other objects of this invention will become apparent upon studying the following specification in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a propeller assembly with the novel spinner cap in place;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the novel spinner cap;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the novel spinner cap;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the base of the spinner cap;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on plane VV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the spinner cap taken on plane VIVI of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the assembly in PEG. 1.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the combination assembly 19 includes a propeller 12 of conventional construction and the novel spinner assembly 14. The propeller 12 has a hub 16 and a plurality of blades 18 extending radially therefrom. Secured within the hub is a bearing sleeve 2% which slides over the rotatably driven drive shaft 22. A shear pin 24 extends transversely through the bearing sleeve 29 and drive shaft 22 to provide a drive connection from the shaft to the propeller.

The novel spinner 14 fits over this protruding end of the shaft, the sleeve 2t and the shear pin 24. The shaft is preferably provided with an aligning key slot 26 to interfit with the cap. It also includes a transverse opening or passage 28 toward the end of the shaft from the shear pin for attachment of the spinner assembly.

The spinner cap itself includes a generally conically shaped housing 3% having a receiving chamber formed in its base (FIG. 6). The central portion of this chamber includes a cylindrical elongated cavity 32 of a diameter slightly larger than that of shaft 22 to receive the shaft 22 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6. The chamber, nearer the base of the conically shaped housing 36,,has larger diameter portions. These include a first cavity portion 36 to receive the end of bearing sleeve 20, and

'a second larger cavity portion 38 to receive shear pin 24.

The base fits against the prop hub 16 to receive it in a third enlarged cavity portion 40.

The housing 36 may be made of any suitable material, but is preferably formed of a plastic material as shown. It includes a passage or opening that extends transversely of the axis of the cone, and across the shaft-receiving chamber as shown in FIG. 5..This passage includes a blower portion 44' which is blind, and on one side of the chamber, and an upper portion 44' which extends from the chamber to the exterior of the housing. It re ceives a cooperating, transverse securement pin 48 that has slight clearance in the cavity. The pin can move snsaeoe from an extended to an inserted positon. When extended (FIG. the cap can be placed 'on shaft 22, or removed therefrom.

The housing also includes an elongated arcuate peripheral slot 50 (FIG. 5). It extends across cavity 44' through its center (FIGS. 2 and 3). Fitted within this slot is an arcuate blade-type pin actuator 52. This actuator has one end pivotally mounted to the housing by a pivot pin 54. This pivot pin is inserted axially into the housing from cavity 36 as illustrated in FIG. 6. The actuator includes an elongated, generally arcuate slot 56 which extends a major distance along center of the actuator. The edges 56' of the slot adjacent pin 54 are generally straight (FIG. 5) to provide an added locking capacity in a manner to be described. Securement pin 48 includes a bifurcated upper end which straddles this actuator, and is secured thereto by a slide pin 6% extending through the legs of the bifurcated portion and through slot 56. The actuator thus has sliding connection with securement pin 48.

The end of the actuator opposite the pivotally attached end includes a lateral protrusion detent means 66 that interfits forceably in a cooperating recess 63 (FIG. 7) in the wall of slot 50. Thus, when the actuator is pivoted down into slot 50, within the confines of the periphery of the housing, this detent forceably locks into the recess to hold the actuator securely in the lowered position. Some friction also occurs between the actuator and slot walls to help retain the blade in its retracted position.

Opposite the detent is a fingernail-receiving groove 75) in actuator 52, corresponding to a surface depression or cavity 72 in the housing periphery. Thus, by inserting the fingernail into groove 79, the actuator can be withdrawn from the completely enclosed position illustrated in FIG. 2 to the extended position illustrated in FIG. 5 or FIG. 7. When the actuator is pulled out, pin 66 slides to the end of the actuator nearest detent 66. When the actuator is depressed, pin 60 slides toward the flat portion 56' of slot 56.

Within chamber 32 is a key protrusion 89 integral with the housing. This key protrusion is cooperative with the key-way 26 on the prop shaft 22.

OPERATION Assuming that spinner cap 14 is mounted in position on propeller 12, and assuming that the propeller has struck an underwater object causing shaft 22 to continue rotating and shear pin 24, it then becomes necessary to replace this shear pin. To do so, the outboard motor, or the drive mechanism of an inboard-outboard drive assembly, is tilted on the transom of the boat to raise the propeller and spinner cap out of the water. The operator then merely reaches back and extends blade actuator 52 from its enclosed position (FIG. 1) to its extended position (FIG. 7) by using his thumbnail while simultaneously holding the cap on with the same hand. Pivoting of this blade actuator 52 on its mount 54 causes the retraction of securement pin 48 out of shaft-receiving chamber 32 (FIG. 5). The spinner is then removed with the same hand. When the old shear pin is removed and the new one inserted, the spinner cap is merely replaced by sliding it back into position and depressing the blade actuator with one finger while holding the cap with the same hand.

The key 80 will always orient the spinner properly for insertion of retention pin 48. Detent 66 locks into recess 68, and the unit is ready for renewed operation. The entire change takes only a few seconds, and involves practically no risk to the operator of falling in the water, nor loss of any parts. No tools are necessary, as will be obvious.

The flat portion 56 of the slot 56 helps to assure against accidental extension of the actuator and pin during operation, since any axial force applied by the pin to the blade has one force vector that is directly radial from pivotal securement connection 54. There is very little force on the actuator normal to connection 54 tending to cause extension of the blade actuator. In fact, the unit has been subjected to severe testing under extreme conditions, including rapid forWard-to-reverse shifting of the prop, without any accidental throwing of the novel spinner cap from the prop assembly. On the contrary, the results have been extremely satisfactory and encouraging.

It will be realized that the novel cap can be employed both on outboard marine engines and on the outboard drive of inboard-outboard combinations. conceivably, Within the broadest aspects of this invention, the unique attachement mechanism could also be employed to great advantage for other types of collars or sleeves to attach them to a shaft or red.

It is conceivable that various minor structual modifications can be made in this unique apparatus without deparing from the inventive principles and preferred construction taught herein. These modifications are intended to be included in the patent coverage granted, with the device being limited only by the scope of the appended claims and the reasonably equivalent structures to those defined therein.

I claim:

1. A prop spinner cap comprising: a generally conically shaped housing having a shaft-receiving chamber in its base; opening means in said housing transversely of the axis of said housing; a securement pin in said opening means, extending across said chamber; said pin being shiftable axially in said opening means; an actuator blade type lever recessed within the periphery of said housing and pivotally attached thereto; said blade type lever having a sliding connection to said pin for shifting said pin axially in said opening means with pivoting of said blade type lever; said blade type lever and housing having interfitting locking means to maintain said blade type lever recessed within the housing until purposed manual withdrawal thereof.

2. A prop spinner cap comprising: a generally conically shaped housing; a shaft receiving chamber in the base of said housing, co-axial therewith; an elongated pin receiving orifice in said housing, transversely to the axis thereof, including aligned portions on opposite sides of said chamher and including a portion extending out through the periphery of said housing; a retention pin in said orifice, extending through said chamber, and having an end ad jacent the external periphery of said housing; an elongated slot in the exterior of said housing, across the orifice portion; an arcuate blade type lever actuator in said slot; said actuator having one end pivotally attached to said housing on one side of said pin; an arcuate slot in said actuator; the end of said pin being attached to said actuator through said slot, to enable the pin to slidably move along said slot when the actuator is pivoted, to thereby enable retraction and insertion of said pin in its orifice; and holding means between said housing and the end of said actuator opposite said one end to normally retain said actuator in said housing slot.

3. The spinner cap in claim 2 wherein said holding means comprises cooperating detent and recess means.

4. The spinner cap in claim 2 wherein said housing includes a surface depression adjacent said actuator opposite end, and said actuator includes a slit depression to allow shifting said actuator with a fingernail.

5. A device for attachment axially and rotationally around a shaft comprising: a housing having an axial shaft-receiving chamber; passage means in said housing transversely of the axis of said housing; a securement pin in said passage means, extending across said chamber; said pin being shiftable in said passage means; actuator means attached to said pin for shifting it; said actuator means being an arcuate blade type lever pivotally attached to said housing and slidably attached to an end of said pin for moving said pin on its axis when said actuator is pivoted; recess means in the periphery of said housing receiving said actuator means; and ratention means retaining said vactuator means within said recess means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,224,334 5/17 Smith. 1,296,042 3/19 Bralove 170173 1,368,201 2/21 Trumpour 170173 6 2,110,387 3/38 Zeidler 170-159 2,765,858 10/56 Hardy 170159 3,002,365 10/ 61 Liljequist 170160.54 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 402,362 9/ 24 Germany. 736,719 9/55 Great Britain.

JULIUS E. WEST, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PROP SPINNER CAP COMPRISING: A GENERALLY CONICALLY SHAPED HOUSIING HAVING A SHAFT-RECEIVING CHAMBER IN ITS BASE; OPENING MEANS IN SAID HOUSING TRANSVERSELY OF THE AXIS OF SAID HOUSIING; A SECUREMENT PIN IN SAID OPENING MEANS, EXTENDING ACROSS SAID CHAMBER; SAID PIN BEING SHIFTABLE AXIALLY IN SAID OPENING MEANS; AN ACTUATOR BLADE TYPE LEVER RECESSED WITHIN THE PERIIPHERY OF SAID HOUSIING AND PIIVOTALLY ATTACHED THERETO; SAID BLADE TYPE LEVER HAVING A SLIDING CONNECTION TO SAID PIN FOR SHIFTING SAID PIN AXIALLY IN SAID OPENING MEANS WITH PIVOTING OF SAID BLADE TYPE LEVER; SAID BLADE TYPE LEVER AND HOUSING HAVING INTERFITTING LOCKING MEANS TO MAINTAIN SAID BLADE TYPE LEVER RECESSED WITHIN THE HOUSIING UNTIL PURPOSED MANUAL WITHDRAWAL THEREOF. 